SL military disregards civic ban, continues construction of Buddhist vihara in Jaffna

[TamilNet, Wednesday, 24 May 2017, 23:45 GMT]
The occupying Colombo recently launched the construction of a Buddhist vihara at Naavatkuzhi, which is being Sinhalicised through militarisation and housing schemes for Sinhala colonists. During the Vesak in May 2017, ceremonial construction of a big Vihara establishment was begun. On Tuesday, Chaavakachcheari Divisional Council came with an interim order instructing those engaged in the construction of Buddhist vihara to halt all construction activities as permission to construct the Buddhist Establishment has not been properly obtained from the local body. However, SL Army personnel continued the construction work disregarding the instructions from the civic body, sources in Naavatkuzhi said.

The A-32 highway from Mannaar joins the other major highway, A9 from Kandy at the strategic junction of Naavatkuzhi, which is the entry point to Jaffna.

The occupying SL military and the Colombo-based ministries of the unitary State are fully backing the construction of the Sinhala Buddhist Establishment at Naavatkuzhi.

The locality comes under the domain of Chaavakachcheari Divisional Council with regards to securing permission for the construction of worship places. The Divisional Council has its office at Kodikaamam.

The Divisional Council has issued the notice after informing the matter to the elected councillors of the Northern Provincial Council, the sources further said.

The Sinhala colony has been named as ‘Sinhala Ravayagama’.

The construction of a Buddhist Vihara at Kokku'laay in Mullaiththeevu is being continued despite widespread reactions from civil authorities in the North. Northern Provincial Council represented by Chief Minister Justice C.V. Wigneswaran, Provincial Land Ministry, Mullaiththeevu District Secretariat and the private land-owner from Kokku'laay were all objecting the construction work. But, the SL military has been providing workforce and hardware to continue to the construction of Kokku’laay vihara.

Similarly, the SL Navy controlling the islets off Jaffna has recommenced the erection of a controversial Buddha statue at Nayinaatheevu islet off Jaffna in recent days after a few months of break.

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